Martin h



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$haat 1. M. H. MOGHESNEY & J. G. KUNZE.

v PIANO.

Patented Oct. 16, 1894.

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u M. Ha M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN H. MCCIIESNEY AND J OSEPH G. KUNZE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE P. BENT, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,533, dated. October16, 1894.

Application filed May 14:, 1894:. s i l No, 511,147. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARTIN H. MoGHEs- NEY and J OSEPH G. KUNZE,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county. ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Pianos, which is fully set forth in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an upright pianowithcertain parts removed or cut away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of aportion of the piano. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionl view, taken at theline 3-3, Fig. 1, 1ooking to the right, with parts of the piano omitted.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken at the line 4:"4z, Fig.'1,looking down. Fig. 5 is a detached view showing the details of one endof the damper-bar and the hammer arrest. Fig. 6 is an end view of thesame. Fig. 7 is a central sectional view of the pitman for the crank-barFig. Sis a plan view of the crankbar to which the pitman is attached,showing the flat spring in dotted lines.

The object of our invention is to add to the piano constructed in any ofthe well-known ways, certain devices whereby the tone is changed or'modified and controlled to vary it according to thewishes of theperformer; and also to control the stroke of the hammers so that theywill either make a stroke directly upon the strings, or so that they canbe arrested before reaching the strings so as not to make them sound,thereby converting the piano into a toneless piano or practice-clavier.

Our invention consists of the mechanisms and combination of mechanismshereinafter fully described and made the subject matter of the claimshereof.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the frame of the piano; B,the ordinary strings mounted in the usual' way; C, the hammer-head,which is operated from the key-board in the usual way and by the usualconnection.

D, is the adjustable slide-bar or tongue-bar which is supported at eachend by the vertical rods, E, which pass through guides, F, that aresecured to the frame of the piano.

These vertical rods E are pivoted at their lower ends to the crankpedal-bar by which they are moved up and down.

G, are tongues, some of which are hinged by hinges g to thelslide bar Dand some to the auxiliary pivoted slide-bar, 0. many of these tongues asthe piano has keys and they are moved out of the path, or in front ofthe path of the stroke of the hammerhead by operating the crankpedal-bar, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

H, are hard points or strikers on the hinged tongues G where they willstrike the strings when the tongues are vibrated by the hammers.

The tongues G are hinged so that when they are brought between thehammer-heads and the strings, they will be struck by the hammers andswung against the strings, thereby causing a different tone than whenthe hammer strikes the strings direct. The tone of the piano is alsochanged by arresting the stroke of the hammer, so that when itstrikesthe tongue and gives it impetus, the hammer stops, the impetus of thetongue causing the sound which is a very different tone from that givenwhen the hammer is not arrested, but continues its stroke carrying thetongue with it, pushing, as it were, the loose end of the tongue againstthe strings of the piano. We in this way produce three differentqualities of tone besides the modified qualities given to each of thesetones by the usual devices used in pianos to vary the tones producedthereby.

I, is a fixed bar attached to and forming a part of the piano-action,and to which fixed bar the hammer-arrest J, is pivoted.

K, is a rod pivotally connecting the hammer-arrest J to a lever, L, oneend'of which is pivotally connected to the pedal, M, by the rod, N. Theoperator is able to throw the hammer-arrest J into various positionswhich either allow the hammer-head C to strike the strings in the usualmanner; or to strike the tongue G and move with it till the tonguestrikes the strings; or to strike the'tongue and give it an impetuswhich carries it against the strings while the hammer is prevented Thereareas u from following it, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3; or intothe positions which arrest the stroke of the hammer so that thehammer-head cannot be driven against the tongue G or against the pianostrings which enables any one to practice upon the piano without makingany sound. The use of thehammerarrest does not change the touch of thekeys nor necessitate any change of regulation in the action of the pianofrom that which is usual.

The striking-face of the hammer-head is that part of the piano-actionwhich most quickly deteriorates by use, as in striking the strings it isout into by them and loses its firmness. IVhen the hammer-arrest is usedto control the stroke of the hammers upon the tongues G, thisdeterioration is greatly lessened, and when used to change the pianointo a silent practice-clavier the deterioration is entirely avoided.

We consider it very important that any one wishing to use a silentinstrument for keyboard practice, should use one which has a regularpiano action, as the user thereby becomes accustomed to and acquires thesame touch as that of the usual piano, while the touch and action of thekeys in the ordinary practice-clavier and other devices used for thesame purpose, are entirely diiterent from those of the piano.

It is usual, if not necessary, to arrange a portion of the strings in apiano in an inclined position, and to provide for this arran gement wehave an auxiliary pivoted slidebar 0 which is supported upon hangers, P,which are pivoted to the slide-bar D. There is a pivoted arm, Q, pivotedto the case or frame of the piano and attached to bar 0, or to one ofits hangers, in such position that when the bar D is lowered this armQpushes the bar 0 in an oblique direction to the perpendicular, so thatthe end of every tongue which is suspended from the bar 0 keeps alwaysin front of its own inclined strings in position to strike them wheneverit is hit by the hammer-head. When the bar D is raised, the arm Q isswung up from the horizontal and swings the bar 0 gradually, therebycausing the ends of the tongues to travel in line with the inclinedpiano strings.

The rods E with which the slide-bar D is raised and lowered, areoperated by means of the crank-bar, R, which is hung in loops, S, inwhich it turns like a rock-shaft.

T, is a pitman attached to the pedal, U, and also to the crank of thecrank-bar, R.

V, is a spring attached to the piano, and holds the crank-bar R in itsnormal position, in which position the rods E hold the bar D in itselevated position so that the tongues are not in front of thehammer-heads. When the operator desires to bring the tongues intoposition in front of the hammer-heads, he presses upon the pedal Usufiiciently to overcome the tension of the spring V and throw the partsinto the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 3. WVhen the pressurefrom the pedal is relieved, the spring V throws the parts back into theposition of dotted lines, Fig. 3. WVhen the pedal U is pressed down,overcoming the tension of the spring V, the crank-bar R is rocked in thebearings S, and the arms of this crank-bar to which the rods E areattached, are thrown down. When the pressure is removed from the pedal,the spring V rocks the crank-bar back or turns the crankbar in itsbearings, and the rods E are thrown up, raising the slide-bar D, therebyremoving the tongues out of the paths of the hammers.

The pitman T is made with a recess in which is formed a shoulder, X. Thelower part of the pitman is made of a rod screwthreaded at its upperend, and a nut, e, is screwed upon it, resting on the shoulder X. Bythis device we are able to regulate the length of the pitman T asdesired.

Having fully described the construction and operation of ourinvention,what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers andmechanisms for operating them; a series of tongues having hard strikersor contacts on the faces nearest the strings, said tongues beingadjustable to receive the stroke of the hammer at apoint opposite to thesaid hard strikers or contacts and directly behind the hard strikers orcontacts, as specified.

2. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers andmechanisms for operating them; two or more adjustable slidebars adaptedto move at angles or obliquely to each other; one or more of said barsbeing adapted to travel in lines parallel or nearly parallel with theinclined strings of the piano, and devices adapted to adj nst saidslide-bars.

3. In a piano, the.combination with the strings, the hammers andmechanisms for operating them; an adjustable hammer arrest adapted toarrest the stroke of the hammers as may be desired, and devices toadjust the same; and two or more adjustable slide-bars adapted to moveat angles or obliquely to each other, and devices adapted to adjust thesame.

4.. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers andmechanisms for operating them; a hammer-arrest adapted to arrest thestroke of the hammers and the devices adapted to adjust the same; and ase ries of tongues adapted to receive the stroke of the hammers, whendesired.

5. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers andmechanisms for operating them; two or more slide-bars adapted to move atangles or obliquely to each other and devices adapted to adjust thesame; and a series of tongues adapted to receive the stroke of thehammers, when desired.

6. In a piano, in combination with the series of tongues adapted toreceive the stroke strings, the hammers and mechanisms for opof thehammers when desired. erating them; an adjustable hammer-arrest adaptedto arrest the stroke of the hammers y g g' gg 5 and. devices adapted. toadjust the same; two

or more adjustable slide -bars adapted to Witnesses: I move at angles orobliquely to each other and ALOYSIA I-IELMIOH,

devices adapted to adjust the same; and a JNO. A. CHRISTIANSON.

